Historic Cumbrian brewery goes to auction with £900k starting price
A 19th-century Cumbrian brewery is up for auction next week, with a guide price of £900,000.
Castle Brewery in Cockermouth was formerly home of the Jennings Brewery company before its closure in September 2022. On sale after nearly 200 years in operation, the sprawling 1.73 acres site was originally put up for sale 18 months ago, but is now is going under the hammer by livestream auction next Tuesday with Auction House London (March 12).
Developed in 1874 by John Jennings, the once-bustling brewery is situated on the edge of the Lake District National Park, 20 miles from Carlisle.
It contains an extensive number of period buildings. Spanning 63,125 sq ft of accommodation, most of the site is available on a freehold tenure, with just a small part of the property being held on a 700-year lease.
Current owners, Carlsberg Marston, will also be keeping one foot in the door, with a tenancy agreement included in the condition of the sale. The company, which acquired the brewery in 2005, will be renting part of the property on a six-month licence at a monthly rate of £2,500.
The Castle Brewery is a valuable piece of the town’s heritage, and the local community is keen on it remaining as a functioning brewery. However, the online auction listing also highlights the site’s potential for redevelopment.
Part of the brewery, the Grade II-listed former maltings building, had previously been granted planning permission for conversion into 16 residential flats. While this permission has since lapsed, potential investors could view it as an encouraging sign for future approval.
